{stuck indoors}

The constant, pouring rain has me stuck indoors this morning.  I'll be heading off to take an exam this afternoon but until them I am grateful to be inside where it's dry, studying for my Anatomy course and drinking some green tea.

Last night we saw the documentary Brooklyn Castle at the Bama Theater - it was amazing!  Definitely watch it if you get the chance!

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{Cranberry Oat Bread Recipe}

I am so excited to share this recipe for Cranberry Oat Bread with you!  I lovelovelove to bake, but usually I use a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks.  When I make up a recipe myself it's a pretty big deal and I feel very proud : )  I made this bread using ingredients I already had in my kitchen, so they are pretty common items.  When fresh cranberries on go on sale each winter (around the holidays) I always stock up and put several bags in the freezer.  Cranberries are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants and fiber while still being low in calories (that's what we call "nutrient dense" in my Nutrition class!).  So I love them.

This recipe is vegan friendly (yay!) and makes one loaf.

To make Cranberry Oat Bread you will need:
4 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 melted soy margarine (or butter if you prefer)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer (or one egg if you prefer)
1 cup of oats
2 cups of fresh cranberries (or thawed frozen ones)

Preheat your oven to 350F (180C) and lightly grease a loaf pan.
In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
In a smaller bowl mix the melted margarine, vanilla, lemon juice, water, and egg replacer (or egg).
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the larger bowl and stir it well.
Add the oats and cranberries to the mixture and stir until everything is nicely combined.

Pour the mixture into your loaf pan and bake at 350F (180C) for 60 minutes (I checked mine by sticking a skewer into the center and making sure it came out clean).

This is a great bread to eat for breakfast or as a snack during the day!

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A Quick Before & After

Here is a quick and easy nightstand re-do I accomplished over the weekend!  My husband has been in need of a proper nightstand for some time.  For awhile an Ikea step stool was filling in, then a little set of plastic drawers that held socks and such.  Neither one looked good or functioned well.  This week one of our neighbors put this little nightstand out on the curb, so I snatched it up!  It had a lot of problems - stickers stuck to the top, weird wood boards nailed to the bottom for some reason I do not understand, and two of the four drawer pulls were missing or broken.  But it was very solid and sturdy, so it came home with me : )

Ultimately I'd like to paint it white and add some pretty new knobs, but that is a project I'm saving for when I have more time and attention to devote to doing it properly.  This weekend I wanted to get the nightstand cleaned up and looking cute.  Step one was a thorough cleaning and sticker removal (my secret for removing stickers is to soak them with olive oil for several minutes before scraping them off).  Step two, I knocked the random wood boards off the legs of the nightstand.  That part was really random - one board was a piece of old trim and one was just a rough piece of wood.  Step three, removal of old hardware.  The old knobs left worn areas on the wood because they had been loose for some time, so I had to cover that up with step four.

Step four included digging up a map of the Grand Canyon (our favorite vacation spot and also the place we spent our honeymooooon) and cutting it into squares to fit each drawer.  I used a little glue on the back of each map section to adhere it to the wood.  This covers up the holes and wear from the old drawer pulls and adds a personal touch to our space.

I love the way it turned out and it was free.  Freeeee!

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{love this}

Rothko in Britian via Whitechapel Gallery

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mmmmm

I'm in the mood to bake today!

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t i t l e s

I splurged on a pair of books yesterday despite my full reading list.  I was browsing at the book store and snatched up An Everlasting Meal as soon as I saw it.  Then I noticed The Table Comes First and grabbed it, too.  I love books about food and cooking and culture and life, so these titles were irresistible. 

Each book has a beautiful cover and The Table Comes First has a subtle texture, too.  There is nothing like a beautifully designed book cover.  I can't wait to read them both!

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{perfect timing}

I snapped a few quick photos of my new hat this morning before heading off to class.  I finished it just in time, too, because this morning was quite chilly.  And it's still chilly.  I am extremely happy with the way the pattern turned out and the yarn is so soft and comfortable.  I've been wearing it all day and it may be my new favorite!

I'll be working on writing up the pattern (well, it's written up in scribbled notes so I guess I should say "neatly typing up the pattern") this week.  Classes are really gearing up right now and my Anatomy class is already giving me nightmares (two nights ago I had a dream that I failed the first exam because I didn't answer questions on two pages that were stuck together!!!).  Aside from much-needed knitting breaks, I am studying hard.

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{knitting along}

I've been knitting along on my new hat and it's going well!  The shape is starting to remind me of a mushroom.  I think that's a good thing.

I've also been perusing the latest issue of Southern Living and the desserts are seriously tempting me!  This afternoon I'm going to bake some cookies, but I'm going to use this healthy recipe.  I love cookies with oats in them!

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{love this}

British artist Victor Pasmore at work

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happy saturday!

a little Earl Grey on the weekend : )

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DIY Hanging Planters

I made a couple of hanging planters for my apartment this afternoon because my cat is trying to eat my little spider plants!  She leaves all of my other plants alone, but just won't stop going after these little guys (as you can see by the tiny chew marks on the top plant!).  I love using baskets around the house for their natural texture, so I decided to re-purpose a couple of them into hanging planters.

To make a planter like mine you need a small basket with a loose weave (enough space to push a tapestry needle through), a bit of yarn or twine, scissors, and a pretty plant to put inside.

Cut long lengths of yarn (long enough to hang your basket in the middle of your window, plus a little extra just in case) and thread them through your tapestry needle.  Since my basket and plants are small, I decided to attach yarn to two sides of the basket.  If your basket is larger or your plant is heavy, you may want to attach yarn to all four sides.  Push the tapestry needle through the weave of your basket  about 1 inch from the top and tie it in a knot.  Trim any excess yarn.  Do the same on the opposite side of your basket, lining each side up as closely as possible.

Tie a double knot at the tops of the yarn, making sure that each side is even.  Hang your planter basket from a hook or nail above your window.

I saw my cat checking out the new planters from a distance, but she can't reach them so I know they are safe.  And she's safe, too, because some plants are harmful to pets - I don't want her to get into the habit of nibbling on them!

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brrrr!

It snowed today (a freak event in Alabama!), so after class I came home and warmed up with some hot chocolate and blueberries.  I finished up some homework, then started winding my ball of wool/alpaca yarn for knitting my new hat!  I think I'm going to make it up as I go, starting with some skinning ribbing and finishing with a slouchy crown.  That's the plan, anyway.

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cold/rainy/let's knit a hat!

The weather here is cold and raaaaaiiiinnnnnyyyy!  It feels like it's been raining forever and I'm dreaming of sunshine peaking through the heavy clouds.  I've been wearing the same hand-knit hat everyday (my favorite one), so I feel like it's time to change things up.  Today I'm wearing a brown beret-style hat I knit a few years ago, but I also want to make something new. I have two skeins of yarn in the stash that would be great for hats, but I'm  not sure which one to use or what kind of hat to make.  Hmmm... I will think it over today.

Life has become so busy lately - in a good way!  I've started going back to school for a second degree in Nursing this semester, which is so exciting and nerve wracking.  I'm really enjoying the challenge of taking Anatomy, Nutrition, and Statistics - and knitting while I study diagrams, formulas, and nutrient recommendations : )

Hopefully the rain won't last too many more days!  Fingers crossed!

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Color Explosion Coral Reef

I finished a giant project this week!  This crochet reef piece took me forever to assemble, but I love it now that it's finished!  All the colors and craziness make it really stand out.  I used a bunch of pieces I crocheted a while back, and a bunch of new pieces made to fill in the rest.  The whole thing is mounted on thick cardboard and edged with fluffy felt (it's almost furry).  I used tons of different yarns - wool, organic cotton, acrylic, chunky yarn, thin yarn, you name it, everything but the kitchen sink : )

You can find all the details in my shop!

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Thinking about Valentine's Day?

I've started a new Happy Valentine's Day board on Pinterest!  I've been pinning cute ideas for cards, decorations, sweets, and DIY projects.  It's never too early to start collecting ideas if you plan to celebrate with handmade items.  Personally, I think I'm going to make the hilarious Dr. Who card for my husband!

(you can find this cool crochet project on fave crafts!)

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{love this}

artist Helen Frankenthaler

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Book List {Domestic Sphere}

I was making a list of books I'd like to read over the next few months before my trip to the library this afternoon and I decided to create my list around a theme (as I have done loosely a few times before,  reading Sylvia Plath's poems and journals together, reading a few James Joyce books before heading to Dublin, finishing all the Jane Austen novels.) and the theme I chose was "The Domestic Sphere."  I love love love reading novels set in domestic spaces and featuring ordinary (or seemingly ordinary) lives.  These are books I read over and over again.

I chose five books for my list, although there are many other wonderful choices.  The first three books are new to me, and the last two are favorites that I haven't looked at in a while.

The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith is part of the Isabel Dalhousie mystery series.  I have read the three previous books and enjoyed them quite a bit.  Isabel is a philosopher and edits a philosophy journal from her home in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Oh, and she solves mysteries that have philisophical implications, too!  You may recognize Alexander McCall Smith as the author of the popular No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell is a book that I've been meaning to read for a long time.  I love the BBC series and I'm sure I'll love the novel even more.  It involves a small community of ladies in an equally small town and their domestic lives including, "new knitting stitches, crochet comissions, potpourri  and clove-stuck apples, sea green, silver-grey and maize silks, and the relative merit of plain-work, wool-work, and fancywork."

Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther is a novel that I know very little about.  I have read that it's full of period details and English domesticity (which is enough to make me want to pick it up!).

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen is my favorite Jane Austen novel. Favorite.  I've read it more times than all the others.  Most readers seem to flock to Pride and Predjudice and Elizabeth Bennet, but I am totally charmed by Fanny Price.  And I love reading about the social interactions in a limited neighborhood, all the complicated signals and relationships, and Fanny's struggle to do the right thing.

A Simple Heart by Gustave Flaubert is by far the shortest book at only sixty-four pages, but it is an amazing story.  It shares the life of a French housemaid named Felicite who endures many losses, but finds comfort in life's simple rhythms.

I wanted to check out They Knew Mr. Knight, and At Mrs. Lippincote's, too, but the library did not have them (drat!).  I will keep them on my wish list for now.

Do you have any favorite domestic novels?  I'd love to hear about them and add them to my wish list!

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oh happy friday!

Happy Friday to everyone!  I'm planning to spend my weekend going to the library, reading, going to the gym, going to the coffee shop, and whatever else I feel like doing.  I've found some great recipes and ideas recently, so maybe some new projects are in my future.  For instance...

Vegan Monkey bread cupcakes
This AMAZING doll house (Well, I probably won't actually make this.  But I can dream!)
Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes
Pom Pom bookmarks

Have a great weekend!

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yarn is beautiful. it just is.

I've been working on more mitered squares!  They are great to work on in the evenings when I'm too tired to concentrate on a complicated pattern : )

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Crochet Mug Tam Pattern

My newest crochet pattern is complete and for sale in the shop!  This mug tam is a cute way to keep your favorite hot beverage warm.  It is easy and quick to crochet using single and double crochet stitches, and it uses just half an ounce of  yarn!  That means you can make a bunch of tams for all of your friends (yay!) or use some leftover yarn you have laying around.

This project uses DK weight yarn and a 4.25mm crochet hook.  I used Mirasol Hacho yarn for mine : )  And I tried this project on small generic mug (3 inches across) and a larger Pfaltzgraff mug (3.5 inches across).  Both are cute!

I love the pom pom on the top!!!  I show you how to make that in pattern , too.  Every tam needs a pom pom.

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